


Paradise With You

by Bates



Category: Supernatural
Genre: Alternate Universe - College/University, Christmas, Christmas Dinner, Cooking, Fluff, M/M, Pregnancy, Sweaters
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2015-12-20
Updated: 2015-12-20
Packaged: 2018-05-08 00:17:15
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 4,421
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/5475908
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Bates/pseuds/Bates
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Alternative title; A very Mery Novak Christmas.</p><p>Dean's first Christmas at the Novak's as Cas's boyfriend.</p>
            </blockquote>





	Paradise With You

_i._  
_if i were a song_  
_yours would be the hands_  
_bringing me to life_

_ii._  
_sounds are vibrant as colours to me_  
_your laugh is golden yellow_  
_all the sun’s ray captured in a jar_  
_pouring from your heart_

**DUET // M.M**

 

 

Dean was fidgeting. He was sure that everyone in the entire universe could see just how anxious he was. Castiel was sitting next to him in the car, keeping a careful eye on him. It was pathetic. This was just a dinner party at the Novak household. It was far from the first time that he’d met them. They'd grown up together, had seen Cas's siblings in their awkward teenage years. He should calm down, he really should.

Except this time was the first time that he’d join them as their son’s boyfriend. They could still back out, they could still pretend that Dean was still just a friend. It wasn’t like Cas had told them that he was yet. He’d said that he was a friend coming with.

“Dean, we can still back out,” Cas said carefully. “If you don’t want to tell them. They know we’re room mates, I can just say that your family wasn’t doing anything so I took you with.”

“No, it’s fine,” he promised him, gently squeezing his hand. “I’m just a little nervous, don’t worry about me.”

“Okay, I was just offering. We’re almost there. Do you mind getting the presents out of the back for me?”

“No sure. How’s your knee, Cas? Any better than yesterday?”

“Not really,” he admitted, absently turning circles over his jeans. “I think I’ll go in tomorrow or something, check it out if it hasn’t gotten any better.” The fall had been an ugly one and if Dean got what he wanted, Cas would already have been at the Emergency Room to get it checked out. Unfortunately, his roommate was the most stubborn person in the entire world and had blatantly refused to go in.

“At least sit down when we get there, okay?” He couldn't hide that the way he'd been limping the previous day hadn't worried him and hadn't freaked him out quite majorly. "Don't make it hurt more if you can help it."

“Yes Dean. We’re going  to my mother’s, you’re not my mother, you know.”

“Yeah yeah. Maybe you wouldn’t need someone to mother you if you weren’t so stubborn.” He shook his head. “Your mother will like the blanket, right? She’s the only one that I really didn’t know what to get for.”

“Calm down Dean,” Cas sighed, “look, they’re not monsters. Mom will probably hug you to death because she’s so happy that you got her something. We’re here.” Castiel squeezed his hand lightly. “One last kiss before we face the inquisition?”

“Why not. Let’s not go full PDA on them just yet.” He laughed at that and it was sort of a relief.

“I wasn’t saying that we should. I mean, we could if you want to get home early this year.” Castiel bit back a laugh. “I mean.”

“Knock it off Novak.”

"Watch it, Winchester." Castiel grinned and pressed a gentle kiss to his lips. "People might think that you actually  _care_ about me."

"Who said that I don't? Let's let the entire world know."

"How about we start small, just  _my_ world," Cas offered, sitting back against the passenger seat door. "Which is in there and in the worst case scenario Gabriel has already cracked open a bottle of wine. Let's go in before they get a chance to."

 

  


 

Warmth greeted them when Cas’s mother finally let them in. It almost felt as if Dean’s fingers were slowly freezing off. He'd have probably stuffed them in the pockets of his coat, if he didn't have to carry all the presents. At least Cas could go ahead and put his hands in his pockets, the traitor.

“Hey boys, come on in, the rest is already here.” She lead them inside, to where the Christmas tree was already surrounded by presents. “Put your presents down and come join us in the living room. You do still know where that is, don’t you stranger?”

“There was a lot of traffic on the highway,” Castiel said, apologetically. “And yes mom. I still come by more often than Gabriel and Anna you know.”

“Oh I know, I was just teasing. I did think that Dean was your roommate and not your servant Cas?” Dean’s heart pounded in his chest at that, for a split second thinking that her sentence would be followed by ‘boyfriend’. He didn’t quite know why it still freaked them out that much, maybe it was because their relationship had been a secret for so long. Dean had taken a while to come out to his parents, but they knew now. They hadn’t been happy with the fact that they’d waited so long to tell them, but they were cool with it. Hell, they'd almost welcomed Cas like a third son. That had settled his nerves quite a bit, but it still didn’t feel one hundred percent right. Not when they still hadn’t told Cas’s family. WHich they would. Today.

_He wasn’t freaking out._

Castiel’s laugh brought him back to the present. “I thought that was what roommates were for?” he asked, grinning. “Aren’t they for lugging around stuff?”

“Say that one more time and you and your bad knee can wrap all the presents for the Winchesters.” Dean quipped back. “Including the giant easel we got Jess.” Cas’s look of desperation was just what Dean  wanted to see on his face. “My brother’s girlfriend is an art major. Sam was complaining about how her old easel is wonky and squeaky but she doesn’t want to replace it because it still works. We took it upon ourselves to help him out a bit. We’re not getting them a donkey.” He imagined getting them one and the look of sheer horror that had to cross his brother's face. It would be the best prank gift ever.

“Oh, I see. Come on. Your siblings are waiting.”

 

The little round of greetings was always as awkward as it could be. Gabriel had brought Kali along with him and Anna was there on her own, as usual. It wasn’t that she didn’t have a relationship with someone, the Novak’s just didn’t know yet. And, truth be told, it would get a little difficult anyway. Ruby was away for an exchange project and was celebrating Christmas there. Ireland was treating her well though, as Anna said.

Dean knew that it was hard on her. She’d spend quite a bit of time at their apartment the last few months, after she’d found out - by accident - that they were actually a thing. The conversation had been..awkward to say the least. It had given her enough confidence to go ‘hey guys, it runs in the family, sorta’ and ever since, it had seemed like the bound between Cas and his sister had only gotten stronger.

Which was great, honestly. Dean loved seeing his boyfriend so happy and relaxed around her. Anna was a wonderful woman and she really seemed to connect to her brother in a way that only siblings could. He saw the way that he behaved around Sam reflected in how she handled him. It was nice. At least if this would go south, they’d have someone to fall back on.

After introductions, Naomi went back tot he kitchen to finish cooking. He’d noticed the last year, that it was almost tradition that there was someone that went to help, usually Cas. Normally, he wouldn’t have minded. Cas was a good cook, it was what he’d been to school for and the food had been amazing, but this year, he wouldn’t. Dean wouldn’t let him stand on that knee for hours.

Dean wished that he could chain Cas to his chair and keep him there, so he wouldn’t continue walking on his hurting knee, but he wouldn’t.

“Cas sit down, I’ll help your mom,” he sighed, pushing him back down in the couch. “I won’t burn anything, pinkie promise.”

“You better not,” Gabriel huffed from his spot on the couch next to Cas. “We need to eat it too you know.”

“Dean, it’s fine. I can do it.”

“I’ll go help her, sit down you nerd, catch up with your family.”

 

  


  
 

Dean liked Naomi. She was warm and generous and almost felt like a mother to him as well. Dean and Castiel had been friends for ages. Ever since the second day of kindergarten, they’d hung out at the playground all the time. With middle school and high school coming around, they'd gone to different schools, but they still hung out. At least once a week, they called and whenever they had time, they hung out at the park or Dean's place.

It had been a while before Dean realized that what he was starting to feel for Cas was more than friendship, that he wasn’t just worried like a mother would. When Cas walked across the driveway to his house all bruised, he just couldn’t shake it. He’d feel so angry each time, he wanted to punch some of the guys that hit Cas just because he’d come out as bi. It had been a brave thing of Cas to do and they were throwing it back in his face. Dean had lost count of how often he’d almost done it, almost gone to those guys and gave them a bruise that’d show for days.

Each time, Castiel had somehow managed to calm him down and get him to step down, but still. He’d been livid. That feeling had always been shared by Naomi, who had carefully instructed him not to go after them.

“You’re still looking out for him,” she said with a gentle smile on her lips as she stirred in one of the pots. “It’s good to see that Cas has someone to look out for him.”

“Someone should worry about him. He himself doesn’t." Dean shook his head. “What can I do to help?”

“Oh, I know. He was that way when he was a child. You don’t know how many inflamed cuts we had to deal with because he’d fallen and just kept on walking.” Naomi looked around the kitchen for a minute before speaking again. “Could you chop the carrots for me? What happened?”

“He was hanging up a picture and fell on his knee,” Dean said, taking the knife from her hands. It was stupid. “It wasn’t too bad and the picture is finally up - it’s been standing in out bookcase for months now - but he refuses to go and let it get checked out.” He sighed. All of that for their stupid picture. Dean loved the picture, it was one that Anna had taken of them when they'd fallen asleep together during one of their movie marathons. “If it was me, he’d be at the ER getting it checked out yesterday, but you know he’s stubborn.”

“Sounds like my Castiel. I’m glad he has you though.”

“Yeah.” And Dean was too. Dean was glad that Cas allowed him to mother over him that much. “I don’t think he agrees - he started calling me his second mother a little bit ago.”

“I think you’ve always been that -" She fell silent and looked how he was cutting them up. "when they’re chopped just throw them in this pan. It doesn’t matter that much, I’m going to mash them up anyway -" She shook her head. "No, but seriously, in a way you've always been a bit of a mother. Even when you guys were twelve, you were looking out for him and being his little protector. It’s always been adorable to see.” She shook her head. “How are things living together?”

“Good, good. It’s weird at first you know? But by now I don’t know, we know each others routines so it’s easier to navigate around each other and know when -” He cut himself short. Saying things like ‘ _know when he’s feeling sad or needs to be hugged, when he needs to spend a night cuddling on the couch or sleeping snuggled together even closer'_   wasn’t the way to go. “and know when he forgot to get the groceries. He had a tendency to do that.” It was an awkward way to finish the sentence, but it was true.

“The boy would lose his head if he could.”

“Yeah, he would, like his lenses.” Dean didn’t want to admit that he preferred it when Cas forgot them and wore his glasses instead. They always made him look more mature, gorgeous. He was beautiful without the glasses, but sometimes, he just preferred him with.

 

  


 

Dinner was served a little over a half an hour later, when they’d finished everything and their desserts were all about done. The cake was still in the oven and the rice pudding was still sitting in the fridge to cool down enough, but otherwise they were good to go. Castiel had stumbled in at one point, to make sure that Naomi and Dean weren’t killing each other just yet, but Naomi had quickly send him back to the others.

“Oh come on Cas, allow your mother a little while to gossip without you being there, will you?”

“You know,” Cas had answered, “if you want to tell Dean all my embarrassing childhood memories, you don’t have to keep him close to a flame. He’ll stay without the threat.” That got him a huff from Dean and a laugh from his mother.

“Honey, Dean was there for almost all of your embarrassing childhood memories. There’s not a lot to tell. Tell your siblings that the food is ready, will you?” It was at that that Cas stalked off, seeking refuge with the rest.

They ate in a companionable silence, not much more audible over the clinking of cutlery on plates and pouring of wine and water. It was the same thing that had happened the last year. They ate in silence until dessert and then would start talking all about work and relationships, the typical things. It was usually then that announcements were made, like the year before how Kali was switching jobs and how Gabriel had finally found a publisher for his first book. This year, it would be them and Dean had to admit, he was sort of terrified.

Dean was about one hundred percent sure that everyone would be getting a copy of Gabriel’s book for Christmas, even if it was just meant as a joke. He knew the other man too well, was too intimately familiar with all of his jokes. Not all of them were directed at him but he’d have to deal with a raging Castiel when Gabriel had managed to put hair dye in his shampoo, again. There was an irony to be found somewhere in Cas walking around with blue hair for a day or two before they wanted to risk dyeing it again, but Dean couldn’t find it.

“I’ll go clean of the plates and bring dessert,” Naomi announced. “Chuck, will you get some more wine? I’d ask the others but I don’t think I trust them.” There was teasing in her voice, but Gabriel still threw her a dirty look as Chuck stood up to get the bottle from the cellar. “Gabriel, Kali, a hand? You can help as well. It’s not just Dean that has to do everything in his house - he’s not even related and he’s done more than the two of you.” The 'help me for a change' was obvious in the sentence. It left the three of them alone in the room; Cas, Anna and him.

“You’re going to tell, aren’t you?” Anna whispered under her breath, a small smile on her lips.

“Yeah,” Dean sighed, voice slightly shaky. “Is it that obvious?” Castiel squeezed his hand under the table, hidden enough so that the other Novak’s wouldn’t notice should they walk in. Anna noticed however, and threw them a warm smile.

“Stop it you two, you’re too adorable. I don’t think the world will be able to handle you when you’re out in the open. Dean, you’re just nervous - if I hadn’t known about the two of you, I’d think that you were just worried about that idiot and his knee.” She shook her head. “Next time, just sedate him and drag him to the ER will you?” Dean couldn’t help but laugh at that. Maybe next time he should indeed do that.

“Oh don’t worry, that’s the plan and shut it you. I’ve seen you Skype - if the world isn’t ready for anyone its you two.”

“You know you’re just like children, right?”

“Oh shut it Cas, we both know you’re secretly really glad that we get along.”

“It’s a completely different thing when you tag team on me, right?” Cas asked with a small grin. “And for the thousandth time, we’re going to the ER tomorrow if it’s still hurting, for just a quick check up. Why does everyone worry so much? It’s just a stupid knee.”

“Yeah, to you,” Dean huffed, “but we care about you and hate to see you hurt.”

“You’re like a second mother, but I already have a mother you know. She’s doing a fine job worrying herself.”

“Nah, that’s just boyfriend duties.” He grinned. “Trust me. I can be a lot worse. Wait until they tell you that it’s severely sprained and you’ll have to walk around on crutches, just wait and see Cas. Wait and see.” Cas groaned at that, but smiled when Dean took his hand in his again and brushed his thumb across the knuckles. “Just let us worry Cas, it keeps us happy.”

“Fine. Sometimes I wish that you two had never met you know.”

 

  


 

He hadn’t felt this nervous in months. Even if the family knew that Cas was bi and probably suspected that Dean fit on the spectrum somewhere as well, he was terrified. Castiel seemed to be calmer and it was his family.

In a way, this was Dean’s family as well. It was one of the perks connected with growing up with a best friend in childhood. Because they did so much together, the Novaks and the Winchesters were all good friends. His mother and Naomi still had monthly ‘come over for tea and some pie’ visits that were probably one hundred percent devoted to gossiping. It was why Dean had explicitly asked his mother to please not say anything to her and let them do the talking.

It was bad enough that they’d kept it silent for a year, hearing it from another person would only make his mother mad. He hadn’t seen her get really angry a lot, but truth be told, he really didn’t want to either. Naomi was an intimidating woman even if she just raised her voice, full blown anger was..terrifying and not something that he looked forward to.

“Hey guys,” Gabriel said with a grin, pulling Kali just a little bit closer to him. “How about we start our usual announcements hour huh?” There was a chorus of ‘hmms’ as an answer, which Gabriel took as a clue to start. “Well, people, Kali and I got you all something. Or well, something per household. Open up.”

Kali was practically grinning as Gabriel handed each of them a little wrapped present. It was Naomi who got it open first and breathed in a deep breath. Dean was too focused on how Cas was unwrapping their present - something Dean was very suspicious about - to notice her expression, but it had so be something good.

Cas finally got it open as well, to reveal a little golden box. In it, were two pacifiers. Dean frowned up at them, taking just a second before realisation hit. _Oh_. When he looked up at Cas, he had actual tears in his eyes. It was then that he saw the note in the bottom, written in baby blue. _Cas, will you please be my godfather? - baby boy Novak_. He couldn’t help but smile at that. Dean was one hundred percent sure that Cas would make an amazing godfather to the kid.

“Congrats guys,” he said with a grin, echoing what the others were saying as well. Anna must have gotten one of the godmother things, because she was grinning as well, her phone already in her hands. No doubt about the fact that she was sending Ruby a text, no matter how expensive it may be to text back and forth.

“Thanks.” Castiel was still staring at the pacifiers and note, almost as if he was in shock. Only when Dean put a hand on his knee under the table did he look up at him, the most beautiful grin spreading on his lips. God, he could get drunk looking at a happy Cas like this.

“How far along are you?”

“Sixteen weeks,” Kali said, nursing her glass of coke in her hands, “we figured we could tell you know, before I really pop. You can already see it a little bit. They’re both hiding against my back, but the doctor is sure that when they get bigger, the belly will start to come.” She sighed. “I already can’t button my jeans.”

“At least you still fit in them. I promise you, Gabriel and Anna had me out of my regular jeans at twelve weeks. At least maternity jeans are comfortable.”

“Yeah, true.” She was still smiling. “Anyway. Anyone else something?”

Cas squeezed his hand under the table again, as if he wanted to say this is our cue. Anna threw them reassuring smile, but it was clear that she too was nervous for them. Hell. Dean’s hand was trembling where it still lay on Cas’s thigh.

“Yeah,” Cas said, voice shaking ever so slightly. Maybe it was because they were so attuned to each other that he noticed but maybe the others noticed as well. Dean honestly didn’t know anymore. “I, well we, do.” Naomi turned her head with a curious expression in her eyes and part of Dean told himself that she already suspected that they weren’t just roommates. Even though his worry had always been there, ever since they’d become a thing it had gotten worse. So yeah, she had to have noticed. “We’re a…thing now.” God this was awkward. Dean wanted nothing more than to hide his face in his hands and hide away. “As in, Dean’s my boyfriend.”

Gabriel just stared at them for a while, Kali smiled and Naomi flat out grinned. Chuck joined Gabriel in the staring, almost dumbstruck. The silence that hung in the room felt like it was suffocating him.

“How long?” Chuck eventually asked, frowning a little bit. “I’m happy for you both but seriously, how long have you been hiding it?”

“A while,” Dean admitted, finally feeling good and comfortable enough to take Cas’s hand again and squeeze reassuringly. It was out there, it had been a half asses announcement but they’d finally said it. “We wanted to…figure things out ourselves first, you know? Make sure this was a steady thing.”

“Let’s be real here,” Naomi sighed, “we all knew this was coming. You two think you’re being subtle but have been in love for ages.” And yeah. That was probably true. Dean recognized that he’d probably acted like a little bit of a fool after he’d first realized that what he could be feeling for Cas was actual love and not just the need for a single night.

 

  


 

Things were oddly…relaxed after that. Dean felt like for the first time, he could actually be himself around them. Anna couldn’t help but smile over at them when they sat down for the unwrapping of their presents and Cas inched closer to Dean just a little bit more.

As predicted, Gabriel and Kali gave everyone a copy of Gabriel’s book, along with something smaller, like a pair of socks or a silly tie. Even though Dean and Cas each got a huge ass mug with a cosy around it, he was glad for it. No doubt Cas would do the dishes when they got home and would make them a cup of tea or coffee, maybe hot chocolate.

Afterward, it was Anna who’d gotten them a new set of plates and bowls - something they desperately needed but didn’t want to go out and buy - and then it was their turn to pass out all the presents. Luckily, they all liked what they got them, even  Naomi and Chuck and their duvet.

“My turn,” Naomi said, smiling before she passed them each their wrapped present. Dean could help but smile when he opened the thing and  sweaters popped up out of the package. From the look of it, she’d knitted them each a sweater. It was cheesy as could be, with a Christmas scene on the front and a huge ‘332’ in the back - his previous locker number, but he adored it. Not that much because of the sweater himself, but because of the fact that Cas had the same one, but in the back, there was a huge red ‘331’, his locker number.

“You totally knew,” Cas said, throwing his mother a suspicious look. “You totally knew, didn’t you?”

“I didn’t,” she said, “but I had my suspicions and I thought it would suit, since you guys live in room 330.”

“It’s really sweet, thanks mom.”

 

  


 

Dean carried Cas to bed that night and changed him into a bit more PJ appropriate. Even if it was just his boxers and the sweater they’d gotten from his mother. He felt something swell in his chest, looking like Cas leaning into him, fast asleep, trusting him.

This was what home felt like. This was what he’d been craving for so long, something that he hadn’t quite found at home. He loved his family, loved what they ahd but it hadn’t felt like home. This was. This was familiarity and love, pride. This was so much more than he could handle sometimes.

But in moments like these, with Cas curled up against him, he could forget that. He could forget that there was a world outside and that they’d have to face it. He could just pretend that this was all they had. Their silly Christmas sweaters and their smiles, their love.

This was home, he decided, and he’d never give it up.


End file.
